On Sunday, Peter Moloney helped shift his mate Ray Cousley out of his north Wagga home.

Wagga CBD under flood threat

On Sunday, Peter Moloney helped shift his mate Ray Cousley out of his north Wagga home.

With the help of six air force personnel, they packed a truck with the contents of Mr Cousley's house and transferred them to Mr Moloney's home, in central Wagga Wagga. Now, despite earlier predictions, Mr Moloney's home is also under threat.

Wagga Wagga's central business district is protected by an 11-metre levee.

As recently as yesterday afternoon, local officials were confident the levee would keep the city safe. But late last night the State Emergency Service issued evacuation orders for central Wagga Wagga, warning that those who remained would be risking their lives. Authorities now expect waters to peak at 10.9 metres at 3pm.

"Not in our wildest dreams would we expect this levee to be under pressure. This is a real shock," said Mr Moloney, 60, who works in real estate.

Army personnel knocked on Mr Moloney's door about 10.30pm yesterday and told him he had to be out by 6am today.

He has put as many of his things as possible on to furniture, allowing for waist-deep water inside his house. But he is staying put for the moment.

"I still doubt that this is going to go over," he said.

"I elected to stay because I couldn't see the whites of the giant's eyes. As soon as I see the water coming down the street, I'm ready to go."

As a resident of low lying North Wagga, Mr Cousley, 74, a retired glass cutter is familiar with floods. He has experienced four of them, including those in 1974, when a metre and half of water came through his house.

"I've lived there for 74 bloody years, and I'm not shifting. You just don't shift, mate. That house was left to me so I don't go."

He has not been able to get back to his house so he does not know whether it has been flooded. But he hopes central Wagga is spared.

"I just hope nothing happens over this side," Mr Cousley said.

"You've got to be fair. We over there, we know what to expect. These poor buggers wouldn't have a clue."